Winter hiking in South Tyrol
Winter hiking is a wonderful way to rediscover the magic of South Tyrol's winter mountains, from the Dolomites to the Vinschgau Valley – away from the ski slopes and close to nature, at a leisurely pace and without extensive special equipment.
The winter hike from Armentarola | St. Kassian across the Störes meadows to the Pralongiá plateau offers magnificent Dolomite panoramas.
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A winter hike through the snow-covered forest is an intense nature experience.
Internet ConsultingGentle winter sports & an intense experience of nature
The Grand Panoramic Tour on the Vigiljoch Mountain offers romantic views.
IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige | Alex FilzThe cold air tingles your cheeks and the snow glistens in the sun. The steady rhythm of walking has a relaxing effect and with every step, the hustle and bustle of everyday life recedes further into the distance. Your thoughts are in the here and now, and the dreamlike winter landscape makes your heart sing. No wonder winter hiking is becoming increasingly popular!
Winter hiking in South Tyrol offers a combination of soothing deceleration and active movement, idyllic moments in nature and unique views of the alpine winter landscape – ideal for strengthening the immune system during the cold season while enjoying the quiet beauty of snow-covered forests and alpine pastures. Whether as a supplement or an alternative to other winter sports such as skiing or cross-country skiing, winter hiking enriches your winter holiday in the mountains.
There is a wide variety of prepared and marked winter hiking trails in South Tyrol: from hiking trails in nature parks to panoramic circuits in ski areas. Some of the winter hiking trails are also used for snowshoeing and tobogganing. One advantage of winter hiking, however, is that you don't need a toboggan or snowshoes, or any other special equipment for that matter.
In the Puez-Geisler Nature Park, you find family-friendly winter hiking trails.
IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige | Alex MolingWhat equipment do you need for a winter hike?
Basic equipment:
- Sturdy hiking boots with treaded soles
- Warm and functional clothing according to the onion principle
- Gloves, hat and neck warmer or scarf
- Crampons or ice grips for icy areas
- Sunglasses and sun cream
- Thermos flask with tea or another hot drink
- First aid kit, emergency blanket and mobile phone
Additionally recommended:
- Provisions
- Change of clothes
- Gaiters
- Hiking poles with large baskets
- Headlamp (in case the tour takes longer than planned)
Meran 2000 ski area offers perfect conditions for winter hikers.
Meran 2000 - Manuel KotterstegerTour planning
As with any other hike, you should check the current weather conditions, the trail conditions and the opening hours of refreshment stops in advance: some alpine pastures and mountain huts are completely closed in winter, while others are only open at weekends. When planning your tour, you should consider the following five points in addition to your fitness level and the current conditions:
- It gets dark early in winter: you should take this into account when planning your schedule and not start too late.
- Walking on snow is more strenuous, so you should allow more time for the same route than in summer.
- Even if there is hardly any snow on the path, icy patches are still to be expected. Therefore, to be on the safe side, always take crampons or shoe spikes with you!
- In case of heavy snowfall, widely fluctuating temperatures or lack of snow, you must expect that the winter hiking trails will not be prepared or groomed as usual.
- The avalanche risk is generally low on designated and prepared winter hiking trails, but you should always take the current avalanche report into account.
- High plateaus often offer breathtaking mountain panoramas but are also exposed to the wind. This can cause a wind chill effect, which means you lose more heat than the actual temperature would suggest. It is therefore important to bring warm and dry clothing with you.
A winter hike in Pfelders offers impressive views of the village and the surrounding mountains of the Passeiertal Valley.
IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige | Frieder BlickleRecommended winter hikes in South Tyrol
Alta Badia impresses with its variety of great winter hikes.
Internet ConsultingDolomites
- Fischleinboden Hut – Talschluss Hut (start in Sexten or alternatively take the bus to the Fischleintal valley)
- Störes Wiesen – Pralongiá (start in Armentarola/St. Kassian | Abtei)
Bozen & surroundings
- Premium Panorama Tour (start at the Rittner Horn mountain railway station) | Ritten)
- Über den Salten (start at the Scheermoos car park in Flaas | Jenesien)
Eisacktal Valley
The Gsiesertal Valley offers beautiful winter hikes, one of which leads to the Uwald Alm.
Internet ConsultingKronplatz
- Uwald Alm (start at the end of the valley in St. Magdalena | Gsies)
- Lercher Alm (start in Oberwielenbach | Percha)
Meran & surroundings
- Egger-Grub Alm (start at the car park in Stuls | Moos in Passeier)
- Large panoramic circuit (start at the Vigiljoch cable car mountain station) | Lana
Taufers-Ahrntal
- Knuttenalm (start at the Knutten car park in Rein in Taufers | Sand in Taufers)
- Steger Alm (start at the sports field in Prettau)
Vinschgau
- Schliniger Alm (start at the Nordic Ski Centre in Schlinig) | Mals)
- Melager Alm (start at the car park in Melag/Langtaufers | Graun im Vinschgau)
The Langtauferer Valley in the Reschensee holiday region is a paradise for gentle winter sports.
IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige | Benjamin PfitscherMore information & tips on winter hiking
From Pederü near St. Vigil in Enneberg, a beautiful winter hike leads to Fodara Vedla.
IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige | Klaus HuberOn the websites of the various South Tyrolean holiday regions, you will find route descriptions and other important information on the winter hikes listed above and many other routes: The winter landscapes from Alta Badia to Eggental, from Gröden to Seiser Alm , from Sarntal to Ultental Valley offer a wide range of winter hiking opportunities – from leisurely walks for the whole family to challenging tours for experienced winter sports enthusiasts. Many winter hiking trails are also easily accessible by public transport.
Finally, a request: please be considerate of nature and wildlife. Take your rubbish with you, stay on the paths (also advisable in view of the avalanche risk) and do not make unnecessary noise. If you are out with your dog, be sure to keep it on a leash. In winter, wild animals must avoid any unnecessary movement. If they are startled, they consume a lot of energy, which can endanger their survival.
